Editing Is A Must
The following is a short article written by the English tutors at ITS Tutorial school on some simple questions that can be used to improve your editing ability. Please visit our website to see some more useful resources.
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According to H. L. Mencken, an authority on language and a prolific writer himself, only 0.8 per cent of the human race is capable of writing something that is instantly understandable. Unless you’re part of that minuscule minority, editing is a must.
Editing means reviewing what you have written for its effect on the reader, not simply changing a word here, a comma there. Although editing does take time and effort, it will help you produce writing that will show you at your best.
When you edit your work, put yourself in the reader’s place. Ask the questions your reader might ask: ‘What does this word mean? Why didn’t you tell !lie that fact sooner? Why are you boring me with all these details? What do you want? How much will it cost?’ By adopting your reader’s point of view, you may be more objective than you might otherwise be.
Whenever possible , try not to edit your draft soon after you’ve written it. Getting away from it for a time may help you see its strengths and weaknesses. (If you’ve ever come upon something you wrote a year or two ago , you can appreciate how important the passage of time is in changing your perceptions about a piece of writing.)
The following checklist can help you edit your writing methodically. The list is organised into five broad areas. Try to make five quick passes through your draft, focusing on one area at a time, rather than looking for everything in a single pass.
A CHECKLIST FOR EDITING
Content
Keeping the intended reader in mind, is the information complete? Is it accurate?
Should any information be added, deleted, modified?
Are the points adequately, but not excessively, developed?
Organisation and layout
Will the reader know immediately what you are writing about?
Would the information be more effective if it were reorganised?
Is there a logical order in the way the ideas are presented?
Is the layout appealing? Does it highlight important points?
Paragraph structure
Does each paragraph make one major point?
Is each point explicitly stated?
Can long paragraphs be divided or short ones combined?
Style and tone
Is the language specific, natural and appropriate to the reader?
Can unnecessary words and phrases be deleted?
Are sentences varied in structure and in length?
Is the piece direct, clear, easy to read?
Does it flow smoothly?
Will the tone help you achieve your purpose?
Mechanics
Is the grammar correct throughout?
Is the punctuation correct throughout?
Are all words spelled correctly?